Process for refining hydrocarbon oil



Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

UNITED ESTATES PATENT orr cs.

JACQUE comment, OF CHICAGO,

UOTS OOIPARY, OI CHICAGO,

PROCESS TOR BEI'INING HYDROGABBON OIL.

. linois, have invented certain new and useful Improvgments in Processes for Refining Hydrocarbon Oil. of which the followmg 1s aspecificati'on.

. This invention relates to a process for refining hydrocarbon oil and refers more particularly to a process in which cracked hydrocarbons having an objectionable sulphur content are treated to remove the objectionable, sulphur and other compounds therefrom.

Among the objects of. the invention are to provide a process in which the oil is treated by succe'sive acid and alkali washes to cleanse the oil, and subsequently treated with 'a plumbite solution and certain 'ob jectionable, sulphur and other compounds including metallic sulphide or hydrogen sulphide and others, wherebya finely dispersed precipitate containing some lead is produced 4 1n the oil body; to provide a process in which these colloidal particles held suspended in the oil are deposited so that the may easily be removed from the oil by t e use of a flocculating agent "which coagulates andcollects the pal-tic es in groups, which are deposited from the oil. Certain hydrc arbons which have been subjected to craclnng reaction contain quantities of objectionable, sulphur and other compounds which must be removed in order that they may pas the sul hur test; requirement of motor fuel by ocarbons.

Excessive amounts of objectionable, sulphur and other compounds containedm the oil have a deteriorat oifoct upon certain metals in the motors and machines, and must be eliminated prior to their-use. The oils containing these exmssire objectionable compounds unidentified particularly with the California, Texas and Mexican fields, although certain hydrocarbons from. lmdcon tinent fields are high in sulphur.

In treating the oil to remove ob jectionable sulphur and other compounds, the oil may be first thoroughly agitated in the presence of sulphuric acid, in the pro oortlon of say, pounds of acid per 100 barrels of oil, for a period of 120 ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO THE UNIVERSAL OIIt. PROD- ILLIHOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

.Applicatlon med August 81, 1928. Serial 1T0. 585,550.

minutes more or less. The oil, after separation from the acid and sludge, may be treated with abasic cleansing agent such as caustic soda in the proportion of say. gallons 6-12. B. caustic soda per 100 barrels of oil treated. The oil may be water washed at any time during the treatment. after being separated from the basic cleansing agent, may be treated with a caustic soda or sodium hydroxide, m the proportion of say, 5 barrels of 1630 B.-

caustic containing from 5 to 30 pounds litharge for each 100 barrels of oil treated. After the removal sulphur, such as an alkaline metal sulphide, may be added, in the proportionof say, 100 barrels. The sulphide may be used in conjunction with the preliminary plu'mbite treat. This treat produces a precipitate containing some lead, which sometimes has a tendency to remain suspended over an indefinite period in the body of the oil.

Emulsification of the oil is also sometimes caused by this fine precipitate. An important feature of this "invention is to grevent suspension formation and prouce the deposit of the finely divided susnded' articles in order that the oil may clar' ed and refined to a clear, stable water white distillate. In producing this deposit, useis made of various electrolytes, especially dilute acids such as sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid in the proportion c t say, to of 1% by weight of oil treated. The use of-such electrolytes or acids to produce water white distillateyrnust not be con- 7 their employment in the treat founded with ing of oils, select the concentration of such reactions as woul cent-rated acids such cracked hydrocarbons.

The reaction is of a colloidal nature in producing the coagulating or flocculating out the finely suspended particles of the precipitate in the oilhody. Oil that has been treated with cleansing sul hide treatslwill loid hide suspended in as particular care is taken to L f the acid to word as sulphuric upon usually have this col a1 precip tate, containing some lead sulthe oil body. The ad tion of an electrolyte either by an electriphenomena or chemical reaction causes The oil,

plumbi te. solutlon contalning litharge dissolv d mof the plumbite solution, a sulphlde or compound of 4 to 20 pounds per v til) d occur with couflit!) washes, plumbite and a other reactions the deposit of this finely dispersed precipitate so that it may be readily removed from the oil body.

In addition to the coagulation and flocculating efiect of the electrolyte there are which takeplace, as for example dilute hydrochloric acid agitated with the oil which has been treated with sodium plumbite and a soluble sulphide to remove the sulphur compound gives a remarkable light and refined roduct more free from sulphur compoun s than that produced without its use. These dilute acids can then be washed out in water, and the resulting oil distilled preferably in the presence of steam to produce a stable water white sweet odored product.

I claim as my inventioni 1. A step in a process for refining orpuritying hydrocarbon oils, consisting in subjecting the oil to treatment with sodium plumbitejn water solution, in extracting the sodium plumbite solution, in then introduclng a sulphide in water solution, withdrawing the products of this reaction and then introducing a flocculating agent to prev cipitate the other products of reaction, and 1n thlen withdrawing the precipitated materia u i 2. A step in a process for refining or purifying hydrocarbon oils, eonsistin in subjecting the oil to treatment wit sodium plumbite in solution, in then extracting the sodium plumbite solution, in then subjecting the oil to treatment with a water soluble sulphide to assist the reaction produced by sodium plumbite solution, in then removing the reaction products formed by the above treatment, and in then adding a floeculating agent to precipitate reaction productsformed by the above present in the oil, and in then removin the separated precipitate and reaction pro ucts.

c, JACQUE C. MORRELL.

treatment and still 

